V.O. Chidambaranar Port has handled its first crude palm oil vessel at the modified Coal Jetty-2, marking a move to expand the berth’s cargo-handling capabilities and support edible oil processing in the region.
The vessel MT. ZY Galaxy, carrying 15,000 tonnes of crude palm oil from Kunak Port in Malaysia, berthed at V.O. Chidambaranar Port on August 28, 2026. The vessel has a draft of 9.70 metres and an overall length of 143 metres.
Discharge operations were launched by Shri Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, in the presence of Shri Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS, Deputy Chairperson; Shri K.T.V. Narayanan, Managing Director, KTV Health Food Private Limited; and senior port officials.
The entire consignment is expected to be discharged by August 31.
Modified Coal Jetty-2 enables crude palm oil handling
Coal Jetty-2 has been modified to facilitate the handling of liquid edible oil cargo. Pipelines have been installed to connect the berth with storage tanks located approximately 5 km away.
KTV Health Food Private Limited, the importer of the crude palm oil, has established four storage tanks in the port’s industrial zone. The company has a refining capacity of 1,000 tonnes of Palmolein per day, with the refined product distributed for regional domestic consumption.
M/s. Seaport Services, Tuticorin, is the shipping agent for the vessel.
Port-based industrial development
V.O. Chidambaranar Port has allocated approximately 1,633 acres of port land for the development of port-based industries, including power generation, chemicals, warehousing, food processing, edible oil, green hydrogen and its derivatives.
The port is pursuing the expansion of manufacturing activity in Tuticorin as part of efforts linked to the Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative.
Shri Sustana Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, said, “the handling of the first crude Palm Oil vessel at the modified Coal Jetty-2 marks another step towards diversifying cargo, strengthening Port-based industries and enhancing the Port’s logistics ecosystem, while supporting the growth of the edible oil and food-processing sector in the region.”
He also said that V.O. Chidambaranar Port has been a frontrunner in expanding the Port based industries in the Port lands under the Sagarmala initiative of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, led by Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
